Eternity
by ashleydash
Summary: This is my first fanfic, set after the novel 'Eclipse' by Stephenie Meyer. Something to bide my time while I wait for Breaking Dawn. Bella and Edward are married, the first chapter begins when she wakes up from being bitten. Enjoy.
1. Awakening

I was dazed and confused, but strangely alert to everything around me, like I was waking from a coma, overdosed on drugs and struggling to bring myself back into my own head.The first thing I noticed (not without humor) was the softness of the pillow beneath my cheek. Hadn't Edward said so many times how soft I was? That everything was soft in comparison to him? I dug my head into the pillow, hoping to drift back off to sleep.

Then with sudden realization I opened my eyes wide, bolting upright into a sitting position, feeling my stiff bones protest after being still for so long. I couldn't sleep, not anymore. Sleep would be impossible for me now.

I was changed.

Everything came back to me slowly. The sharp, excruciating burning pain in my throat, my wrists and ankles. Like a fire, lit deep under my skin. It had been the worst when the venom reached my heart. I was glad I couldn't quite remember the moment my heart stopped. I remembered the screaming vividly, as if I'd witnessed it from someone else's body instead of felt it through my own. Did I really beg Edward – my husband, my entire world, to KILL me? I bit back a wave of remorse, hoping I hadn't hurt him too much over the last few days. He was unusually sensitive for a vampire.

I shook my head, trying to clear the confusion, only to notice how different my hair felt against my face. I raised my hands to my cheeks, my cold hands roughly brushing the hard surface. I raised my eyebrows, nothing could've prepared me for this part. The part I'd wanted almost the most was also the part that I'd been unable to imagine. I ran my fingers through my hair. It was stiffer than it was before.

I turned my head, and jumped, startled. He was still there.

He moved suddenly, one arm around my waist, his face only a few inches from my own.

"Bella, love…"

I sighed, shutting my eyes for a moment, moving my hands over to his face. For the first time ever, he didn't feel cold to me. I wasn't sure how to feel about that.

"Edward?" My voice cracked, hoarse. I tried not to think of why, my screams almost echoing in my new sensitive ears. Somebody was coming up the stairs, I realized. They were coming slowly. Waiting for us to come out of the room first, I presumed. It must be Alice, only she would know I was waking up before I knew it myself.

"I'm here, love. I'm right here." He kissed the top of my head, bringing my thoughts back into his room.

I sighed again, leaning against him now, for the first time I noticed how much more distinct he smelt to me now. I bit my lip softly, not sure if I could pierce my own skin with my new razor sharp teeth. I pressed my face into his chest, exploring this new novelty. My nostrils almost burned, and I wondered if it would be the same when I saw his family again as well. Would they smell as strong, or would Edward stand out to me, like I had for him for so long?

So many questions.

And an eternity to get my answers. No need to hurry.

I gently brushed my lips along the collar of his shirt and up his neck, to his earlobe and along his strong jaw. He kissed me softly, and I pulled back, surveying his face, searching for some sort of emotion in his jewel like eyes, onyx in color today.

_He hasn't been __hunting,__ he's stayed with me…_

Gratitude and disapproval rushed through me at the same time, the former overcoming the latter. I smiled at him.

He didn't smile back at first, his eyes staring into my own. Trying to see in me what I was searching for in him.

"How do I look?" I asked tentatively, almost afraid of the answer.

He smiled suddenly, chuckling. He got up quickly, picking up a looking glass from the other side of the room. I beamed, for the first time I saw every step he took when he was hurrying, he was no longer a blur, like a bolt of lightning.

He handed the mirror to me, encouraging me to look, excitement filling his face. The same feeling flooded through me for a second, then went away. I didn't pay it any heed. I was too preoccupied.

I glanced at him doubtfully, then looked into the mirror.

I bit my lip again, a small gasp escaping me, as I saw the stranger looking back at me.

Her face was sharp, cheekbones stood out from it, bold, giving it shape. A gorgeous shape. Her skin was incredibly pale, marble-like, beautiful. Her face was framed by shiny dark hair, glinting with a reddish color as the light hit it through the window. Dark circles were under her eyes.

The eyes. They were what startled me.Blood red in color. Almost no pupil. Wide and eager, sharp in contrast to the strangers pale face.

My pale face.I almost dropped the mirror, my hand was shaking. I realized for the first time, the burning in the back of my throat. My muscles aching with desire, I sniffed the hair, searching for something other than Edward's wonderful scent. Venom rushed into my mouth, even though I found nothing in the air, it had no real taste to me. My body trembled for a moment. I looked up again, staring at Edward, struggling to comprehend this new feeling. This new … lust.

I felt incredibly foolish. I should've expected this. He told me it would hit me almost instantly.

"You're beautiful." He said matter-of-factly. It was his turn to be preoccupied.

I shook my head hard, trying to clear the feeling from my mind. It didn't work. I sniffed again, more desperately this time.

It only took him a moment to realize what my problem was. He looked at me, his face smooth and expressionless. And then I felt it.

A stab of pain ran through my still heart, I didn't understand why. He gasped, and I realized the pain I felt was his. I was surprised. His mouth dropped open suddenly …. In surprise.

"Bella?" he questioned me, confused.

"I … I think." I took a deep breath, composing myself. "Edward, I can feel your emotions."

Another broad smile filled his face, pride filled me. He was proud of me. I couldn't help but smile back, influenced by what he was feeling.

I stopped suddenly, stern. His smile disappeared. I bit back the laugh that started at that, but he felt the concealed humor, and the smile returned brighter than ever.

"Wow," he said almost breathlessly. "I knew you'd have gifts Bella. But this? I didn't expect this at all."

I laughed, my voice shaking as my muscles trembled. I realized for the first time I was half crouching, tensed. I tried to relax, unfolding my legs and stretching them infront of me, leaning back on my arms. Still I trembled. This time a desperate sound escaped my throat. A growl. I felt it rumble through my chest. Suprisingly, I was proud of it. I looked at Edward again, he was quick enough to cover over his face, but I felt what he was feeling, the pride doubling it's strength inside me.

He really was proud of me.He was happy, and that surprised him. He hasn't realized how much he'd wanted this until it happened.

He ran the back of his hand over my cheek.

"Let's go show the family!"


	2. Flight

I jumped off Edward's bed, extremely eager to leave the room. I landed on the thick carpeted floor with a loud thump, and checked myself, surprised.

"Control, Bella." Edward said to me, laughing. I could hear the serious warning underneath the humor. "You're a lot stronger than any object in this house. Go easy on our poor things!"

I stepped lightly, almost skimming along the floor. Oh wow, I was graceful.

Catching on to my surprise, Edward laughed again.

"I bet you can still find ways to trip yourself up." He teased good-naturedly, his gorgeous crooked smirk I loved so much taking over his face. I was glad to see he still affected me in the same way.

"Hush, you." I snapped, laughing.

I reached for the door handle. Then I remembered the footsteps I'd heard before. I heard them again, hurrying now, and I jumped out of the way a moment before the door flew open, and my sister-in-law rushed in, launching herself at me.

"Bella!"

I reacted to her a moment too late, and we landed in a tangled heap of arms and legs back on Edward's bed, the power behind her enthusiastic leap at me had taken us right across the room.

I snarled, taken completely by surprise, and she jumped off me, eyes wide.

"Impressssive!" she said, whistling, a huge smile on her perfect face.

I sat up, composing myself again.

"Thanks Alice." I said, looking down at her. Even from sitting on the bed, she was still lower than eye level. Her small, thin and graceful form bent slightly, inspecting my eyes, a smooth unreadable expression, as still as carved stone had replaced the smile.

"That will fade of course." She said, nodding at my eyes, rubbing my arm reassuringly. "It'll start to go away as you use up your remaining human blood."

"I know, thank god." I said. "It's scary. Makes me feel like some horrible monster."

Edward chuckled from behind Alice. "Well, technically we _are_ monsters, Bella."

"You know what I mean." I retorted.

Alice pulled me reluctantly to my feet, not without difficulty, I noticed smugly. She looked at me, her eyes bright and playful. She knew what I was thinking before I did.

"Race you downstairs!" she said suddenly, and was off, faster than anybody that small should've been able to move with such little legs.

"Bella, no!" Edward cautioned me, but my instincts to chase what was running from me overcame me, and with a carefully suppressed snarl I took off.

"NO! You can't control your speed yet!" he yelled after me.

His command fell on dead ears. I tore out the door, turning just in time to miss the opposite wall. I sped towards the top case of stairs. I ran down them four at a time and charged down the hall to the massive curving staircase that lead to the bottom floor of the Cullen's house. Alice had stopped at the top, then seeing me; a daring look came into her eyes. She jumped onto the rail of the stairs and leaped off the edge to the ground below.

I hesitated.

"Bella!" Edward was behind me. He grabbed my arm. "Don't even—"

I pulled away from him, I was stronger than he was, as I would be for a while yet. I tried to follow Alice, getting up onto the rail, preparing to leap.

I bobbled slightly, my newborn instincts telling me to jump and follow, but my newborn limbs were gangly and uncoordinated. I slipped as I crouched down to leap, plunging towards the ground.

I heard Alice swear as she shifted, preparing to catch me.

Oh no oh no oh no!

Then the falling stopped. But I couldn't feel arm arms beneath me, nor hard floors. I felt my hair brush the top of Alice's head beneath me, and I turned my head.

I was floating!

I gasped. Concentration on saving myself gone, I dropped the final quarter of a meter or so into Alice's waiting arms, which she hooked under my armpits.

"Bella!" Alice gasped, astonished, letting me go. I barely took a second to notice that her arms no longer felt like I was falling onto beams of timber, excitement at what I'd just done distracting me.

Eager to inspect this new talent, I ran up the stairs, slower this time, only three at once, but still faster than an Olympic sprinter. Edward caught me deftly around the waist as I made for the ledge again.

"Are you ok?" he asked, turning me around, grasping my shoulders. His eyes anxiously scanned me over for injury.

"I'm fine Edward." I said, planting a quick kiss on his cheek. "I have to try this again."

"I knew you'd say that," he sighed, resigned. He knew he couldn't stop me. "Wait, I'm going downstairs to catch you."

"You can try." I taunted, smiling.

He felt my confidence, I knew, but he just glared back at me. I felt his fear, just behind my excitement. Like a secondary emotion.

He quickly planted a kiss on my forehead. Then he ran quickly downstairs, to stand by Alice. Alice took a step back, leaving the makeshift landing area clear, almost mocking me.

Edward looked at her questioning, almost offended.

"Have a bit of faith Edward." She chuckled, punching him lightly on the shoulder as she backed away. "She has no plans to hit the ground again."

If he didn't trust me just yet, at least he trusted Alice's abilities.

I took a deep breath and stood back up on the handrail leading down the stairs. I crouched for a moment, then sprang, not towards the floor, but up in the air. I let the breath out and concentrated on staying up, willing myself to defy the gravity trying to pull me down. I stopped in mid air, held up as if by rows of hooks everywhere on my body, fighting against gravity as gravity was fighting again it. I turned myself around, knees slightly bent, almost standing in mid air, and looked down over Edward, who stared up at me, amazed.

"You…You can..."

"FLY!" I finished his sentence excitedly.

I cautiously moved forward, back to the handrail, and turned around again, lowering myself onto it, and crossing my legs once I was sure I was sitting stable. I looked down at the vampires below me, and noticed two new additions.

Rosalie and Emmett stood, dumbfounded, at the bottom of the stairs. I swung my legs over the rail and walked down the curving staircase, looking into Rosalie's beautiful face. I vaguely remember seeing all of the Cullens in the room with me at various intervals over the last few days. All except Rosalie, that is.

Her face was almost unreadable, as immobile as a beautifully carved block of marble. She'd been greatly opposed to me becoming a vampire. Out of all the Cullens, it was Rosalie that wished to be human the most. She had been jealous of me, she'd admitted it in a last ditch attempt to stop me from changing. She'd almost begged. I was nervous of what her reaction to me would be now. Reassurance flooded through me, and I threw a quick scathing glance at Edward. Well he_ would _know what to expect wouldn't he. How typical that he was already manipulating our connection to try and keep me calm.

I turned back to Rosalie and smiled at her tentatively. Her face changed for a second. She looked like she was struggling with something within herself, and I realized that I couldn't feel her emotions. That must be a special connection between me and Edward, I thought smugly.

Suddenly, she smiled. It was genuine, warm as I could've hoped for.

She pulled me into a hug, and I flew a surprised glance to my family over her shoulder. They were all smiling. Surprised obviously, but smiling.

"Wow, Bella!" Rosalie said, pulling back, surveying me with interest, careful to ignore the color of my eyes. "You look great."

I knew the effort it must be taking her to say this.

"Not as great as you Rosalie, we both know that!"I replied, laughing.

Remembering my reflection in the mirror I wasn't sure if I really _did_ know that, but I said it anyway, knowing how much emphasis she put on her looks.

She smiled again, ducking her head, happy at the compliment all the same.

"Thank you Bella." She said.

Then she grabbed my arms again. "Now" she said roughly, glaring at me, her eyes flashing with amusement. "Care to explain what the _hell_ that was?"

"I think we'd like to hear that explanation ourselves!" a familiar voice called from the top of the staircase.

I turned to see Esme and Carlisle coming down the stairs.

"Bella can fly!" Alice exploded happily. "I've never seen anything like it before, it was amazing!"

Esme beamed at me, putting an arm around me and kissing the top of my head. "It's nice to see you up and about again." She told me.

I smiled a quick thanks at her, giving her a one armed hug, throwing a glance at Carlisle, trying to see what he was thinking, even though it was Edward that had the talent of hearing peoples thoughts, not me.

He grinned suddenly. "That's … interesting." He said. "I must admit, Bella. I really was curious to see what gifts you'd have after you'd been changed."

"Gifts? Whose got gifts?" A new voice joined as, as I heard the front door open and close behind me. Jasper, I realized quickly.

Edward sighed, grinning at me as he turned to explain again, and I was filled with a sense of pride so strong, it was surely going to burst out of me.


	3. Complications

It was many hours later when it started to rain.

"Time to head in guys!" I heard Esme call from across the clearing.

I sighed in relief, and ran back over to her, Edward following close behind me.

"Did you enjoy that?" he asked eagerly, and I could feel his excitement from the game without turning to look at him.

I stopped just infront of Esme, who was trying not to laugh. I looked down at the grass stains on my jeans and up my arms, and threw an embarrassed glance at her. She smiled reassuringly at me.

"You'll do better next time. You're just a little uncoordinated at the moment."

"I don't think baseball is really my thing." I said with dignity, avoiding the eyes of my family, all concealing their laughter at my last and most spectacular face plant into the dirt.

Edward laughed, rubbing my back in sympathy.

"Hey, it had its moments!"

I snorted but otherwise ignored him, knowing a lot of the highlights of today's game involved me tripping.

"No, really!" he said. "That one time you caught the ball was amazing!"

I had to smile, remembering. Emmett had decided to test me, hitting the ball with a thunderous crack right up into the sky. Of course, I'd flown up to get it, since I was the only one who _could_. My one moment of glory. Maybe I would've felt better about it if I hadn't tripped on landing and left a massive grass stain along my left cheek.

I grimaced.

A flash of lightning crossed the sky above us.

"Time to go!" Esme called again, and the rest of the Cullen's admitted defeat and headed over to us, politely avoiding me.

"Do you want a lift back?" Edward teased, reminding me my series of acrobatic trips had started _before_ we'd reached the clearing … on the run over.

I glared at him. "I think I can handle myself"

And I was off.

Edward was quick to react, and wasn't far behind me.

"Maybe we'll let you call it next time instead!" he called to me. I could still hear his laughter and feel his humour, and I ran faster, not so casual now.

He laughed again, but a bit more guarded now, struggling to keep up.

"Bella wait up!"

I got caught up in the thrill of the speed. My hair flicked back behind me and I could hear whistling in my ears as I ran. I knew I was going the wrong way, but I didn't care, I just wanted to run. For the first time since we left the house, I was enjoying myself.

I looked back, seeing Edward's worried face drop further behind me. I slowed, until he caught up.

"You know it's really not that big of a deal." He said, pulling me into his arms and dropping to the ground, me cradled against his chest. It took me a moment to remember what he was on about.

"Huh?" I said, confused. "Oh, no it's not that. I got caught up in the run I guess."

I felt his relief, and I looked up at his face, my left hand rested on his cheek.

I sat there, looking at him for a long time, content with just looking at his perfect face. Then the wind got stronger, blowing his shirt off his back, so it ballooned out behind him. I noticed that it wasn't raining here yet.

Another gust of wind buffeted us.

I tensed, a scent I didn't recognize filling my nostrils. I leapt from Edward's lap and onto the ground a hundred metres or so in front of him, crouched down, snarling, sniffing the air.

I could only just see them, and I could only just smell them now that the wind was calming again. But it was enough.

A pair of hikers; apparently our run had taken us closer to the mountains than I'd first realized.

Before I had any idea what I was doing, I leapt forward again, snarling and growling, stalking slowly forwards, eyes focusing solely on the humans ahead. I'd all but forgotten Edward was there. Nothing mattered but me and the pair of humans. I prepared to leap again.

Then something hard and cold slammed into me, and I was hurled straight back down into the all too familiar dirt.

And enraged snarl issued from my mouth, and I tried to roll from underneath him, eyes focused on the people in front of us. They couldn't see us; we weren't close enough for their eyes. But they could hear me, and we slowly retreating back the way they came. I growled again, this time at Edward, who refused to shift from on top of me.

"No Bella! You have to stop." he begged me. I could hear the strain in his voice, giving away the effort it was taking him to keep me pinned. If I was in another other position, I would've shaken him off almost easily. The only reason he could actually keep me there was the fact that I was flat on my back, with no way of gripping anything to pull myself away.

I snarled at him, turning my head to snap my teeth together, dangerously close to the side of his face.

"Get _off_ me!" I roared at him, digging my elbows deep into the dirt and pushing myself upwards.

I couldn't see the people anymore, and I it frustrated me. I dug my arms deeper into the dirt and pushed myself upwards.

Edward's shoulder slammed into my back and I felt the breath rush from me with a loud oooof noise.

I rolled sideways, wincing as his shoulder dug into my spine, until I was half on my side. Bad mistake Bella, I thought angrily. He had me properly pinned now. His weight rested on my legs, which were bent sideways. The upper half of me flat on the ground, he leaned on my chest, holding my hands captive, his face inches from my own. I snapped at him again, this time only just missing his nose.

"Damnit Bella stop!" he said angrily.

He held me there for a long time, until the scent was gone from the air, and I was starting to calm down.

I could feel his pain mixed in with regret, and it made me angry. He had no business feeling those emotions, not now. I snapped at him one last time. This time I clamped down hard on his shoulder.

He grabbed my hair and yanked my head back, forcing me to open my mouth to gasp in pain. He snarled furiously at me, elbows on my forearms this time, his hands holding my head to the ground with both hands. All his fingers out of reach of my razor sharp teeth.

I glared at him, almost hating him. And the feeling made the real me sick, arguing internally with the thirsting part of me.

He held my eyes with his own, for another immeasurable amount of time, until I sighed, and closed my eyes, my anger abating and my muscles slowly relaxing.

He didn't trust me again yet, I could tell that much, his muscles were shaking with effort to keep my down.

Then I heard a noise, the sound of hurried footsteps heading our way. I tasted the air again hopefully, and Edward growled a warning, low and deep in his throat. I looked up at him again, irritated.

"Do you hear that?" I asked him, curiosity slowly overcoming my other emotions.

He didn't answer, but moved his gaze from me for the briefest of moments, looking in the direction the noise was coming from.

"It's Alice and Jasper."

"Oh." I paused. "Can you let me up, please?"

"No."

A loud peel of thunder echoed slowly around us, and I felt a few drops of rain on my face.

"Bella?" Alice called. "Edward let her up; she's not going to try anything now." She seemed to know exactly what had happened.

Edward didn't answer again. I looked at him, his eyes were closed. He was taking slow deep breaths. He was still angry, I discovered, remorse flooding through me.

He opened his eyes then, looking at me with a bleak look in his eyes. Alice pulled him off me, and he obeyed, not very Edward-like. It worried me. Another arm gripped my shoulder, helping me to my feet, but not letting go once I was up.

Disapproval was radiating off of Jasper, and I dully remembered the Cullen's feelings towards hunting humans. It was like a foreign concept in the back of my mind, it took me a few minutes to remember that it was _my_ view as well. I stared at the ground, dutifully ashamed of myself.

I felt an arm snake its way around my waist, and Edward pulled me close. I buried my face into his shoulder.

"Did I hurt you?" I asked, my voice quiet, filled with shame.

He kissed the top of my head.

"I'll do." He replied.

I took that as a polite yes, and screwed my eyes shut, furious with myself. I stood stock still for a moment, realising he was keeping his emotions for me, and a rush of sadness stabbed into me.

It was raining hard now, and we left quickly, Alice leading, Edward and I following, Jasper bring up the rear. I realised with another bite of remorse that they were covering me, in case we ran into anymore unexpected complications.

Both Edward and I were unusually quiet when we reached the house again. I flew upstairs, and nobody followed me, though I heard Emmett mutter an exclamation of surprise when I almost knocked him down as I jetted up the stairs. I shouldered the door to Edward's room open, and flew straight to the bed, burying my head under the pillow. I groaned. I hurt bad, Edward was strong, I'd never had any sort of opportunity like this to feel that before. Had I been human, he would've just killed me. Broken my back just like that. I felt relieved for a moment, before I remembered that if I was human, that situation never would've arisen. I felt the spot where he'd slammed his shoulder into me like a fresh bruise, though I knew if I checked that there wouldn't be one there.

I rolled onto my back, as I heard the door open.

"Bella?" His soft angel's voice called to from outside. "Can I come in?"

I sat up, crossing my legs, playing with a strand of my hair, unwilling to meet his eyes. He must be furious with me surely.

"It's your room." I muttered back, my voice cracking.

He hesitated at that, but feeling no anger in my mixed emotions he came in, moving swiftly to my side. I leaned gratefully against him, sighing. I moved onto his lap, head nestled into his neck. I let his stroke my hair. He didn't say anything for a long time.

Then I pulled away from him, turning to face him, wincing at the hard, almost emotionless look in his eyes. His face could've been carved from stone.

"I think maybe it's time for Plan B." I said quietly, running the back of my hand along his cheekbone.

He nodded, his lips pressed tightly together. The bleak look back in his jewel-like eyes.

"I think that maybe it is." He agreed.


End file.
